An Open Letter to Friends of NM Tech, Aug. 9, 2000

Dear Friends of New Mexico Tech,

New Mexico Tech will continue to be officially known as the "New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology."

After months of reviewing responses and opinions submitted by Tech alumni and other university constituents, the New Mexico Tech Board of Regents recently voted in a unanimous fashion to not proceed with plans to change the official name of the school.

The evidence garnered this year from public hearings, e-mail and other correspondence, and surveys taken of Tech alumni, as well as Tech faculty, students, and staff, clearly indicated that an overwhelming majority of these stake holders were vehemently opposed to changing the name of our university.

I must admit, at the start of the process, I had an open mind about the possible merits of modifying the name of our institution, in the hopes of furthering national recognition, attracting more students, and boosting enrollment in the face of increasing competition at both state and national levels.

But, after directly fielding the expressions of strong opposing views to changing the school's name, after carefully listening to hours of testimony, and after reading reams of letters concerning the proposed name change, I, too, came to fully support retaining our school's name and recommended to the Board of Regents that they opt to not change New Mexico Tech's name.

Therefore, I strongly support the formal action taken by the regents concerning the name change issue; and, I'd like to personally assure you that we will now concentrate our efforts on actively promoting and marketing New Mexico Tech, so that our school's name is more easily recognized among prospective students and employers throughout the state and nation.

You, as friends of New Mexico Tech, can assist us in advancing our mission by becoming "ambassadors" for Tech in your own communities. In fact, the Tech Admission Office currently is bolstering a student recruitment program in which Tech alumni and other friends of Tech serve as representatives of our university at college fairs, receptions, and organizational meetings held around the country.

As early as next year, New Mexico Tech will also embark on a capital campaign to acquire much-needed financial support for several important projects which will be initiated on campus. We'll also be needing your help in that respect, as well.

Thank you for taking time away from your busy schedule to express your concerns and opinions about the name change issue. As you can see, your university's governing board has indeed listened to prevailing sentiments and has acted accordingly.